The present invention relates to a method of treating insoluble organic solid material, that contains contaminating material, to oxidize the organic material and isolate the contaminating material, and more particularly is directed to such a method wherein ultraviolet light and ozone are simultaneously applied to accomplish the oxidation of the insoluble organic solid material.
Prior art methods have been developed for breaking down soluble organic material in water by the application of ozone and ultraviolet light, with the ultraviolet light serving to enhance appreciably the oxidation rate accomplished by the ozone. Such methods have been used with success in purifying waste water from sewers and for other related purposes, but such prior art processes have been limited to treatment of soluble organic material and have not been considered appropriate for treatment of insoluble organic solid material, and, therefore, have not been used to treat materials such as resins impregnated with radioactive waste from nuclear facilities and other types of contaminated solid materials.
In contrast, the present invention is directed to treatment of insoluble organic solid materials capable of a wide range of important applications. For example, radioactive heavy metal waste from nuclear facilities is presently circulated in water through organic resins that separate into the resin the radioactive contaminant material from the water and the then contaminated resin is permanently stored, requiring an ever increasing storage area for handling the continuing quantities of waste being developed by nuclear facilities. No acceptable treatment, particularly oxidation, of the contaminated resin has been accomplished effectively in the prior art to reduce the volume of permanent storage requirements. However, the present invention teaches the treatment of a contaminated organic resin to oxidize the resin and thereby separate out heavy metals and other contaminants either as precipitates, in the case of insoluble contaminants, or into solution, in the case of soluble contaminants, or as an escaping gas, in the case of contaminants that oxidize into a gas.
The method of the present invention is also applicable to treatment of insoluble organic solid materials other than resins, such as biological matter, i.e. animal tissue and plant matter, and to the separating of various inorganic and other materials in addition to radioactive materials.